Former Wolfson RF explores ethics in healthcare in newly published book

Last month saw the online publication of a new book, co-authored by Wolfson MCR Dr Alberto Giubilini (RF 2017-20, MCR 2023- ), entitled ‘Rethinking Conscientious Objection in Health Care’.

The book provides an argument against a right to conscientious objection by health care professionals. In increasingly multicultural societies inspired by pluralism and, given the range of controversial medical procedures that are – or will be – legal in many countries, claims about health care professionals’ right to abide by their own moral or religious views in the exercise of their profession become more frequent.

In ‘Rethinking Conscientious Objection in Health Care’ Dr Giubilini and his co-authors explain why arguments for pluralism, tolerance, and diversity that support a right to freedom of conscience in society at large do not support the same right within the health care profession, or indeed any profession governed by internal norms of professionalism that someone freely decides to enter.

Now based at the newly inaugurated Uehiro Oxford Institute, Alberto works mostly in public health ethics and medical ethics. He is project manager for the Oxford team of the EU funded CAVAA project, investigating ethical implications of AI awareness. 

The book will be published in print in March 2025.